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The Phoenician and Punic name for the place was DRMT (𐤃‬𐤓‬‬𐤌𐤕‬), "Southern", or ʾDRMT (𐤀𐤃‬𐤓‬‬𐤌𐤕‬), "The Southern".[2] A similar structure appears in the Phoenician name for old Cadiz, which appears as Gadir ("Stronghold") or Agadir ("The Stronghold").

The ancient transcriptions of the name show a great deal of variation. Different Greekshellenized the name as Adrýmē (Ἀδρύμη),[3]Adrýmēs (Ἀδρύμης), Adrýmēton (Ἀδρύμητον),[2]Adrýmētos (Ἀδρύμητος), Adramýtēs (Ἀδραμύτης), and Adrámētós (Ἀδράμητος).[1] Surviving Roman inscriptions and coinage standardized its latinization as Hadrumetum[1] but it appears in other sources as Adrumetum,[3]Adrumetus,[4]Adrimetum, Hadrymetum, &c.[1] Upon its notional refounding as a Roman colony, its formal name was emended to Colonia Concordia Ulpia Trajana Augusta Frugifera Hadrumetina to honor its imperial sponsor.[1]

During the civil war between Pompey and Julius Caesar, G. Considius Longus secured Hadrumetum for the Optimates with forces equivalent to two legions. Despite being reinforced by Gn. Calpurnius Piso's Berber cavalry and footmen from Clupea, however, he was obliged to allow Caesar to land nearby on 28 December 47BC.[11] According to Suetonius, this landing was the occasion of the famously deft recovery, when Caesar tripped while coming ashore but dealt with the poor omen by grabbing handfuls of dirt and proclaiming "I have you now, Africa!" (Latin: teneo te Africa)[12] Caesar's attempts to negotiate with Longus were rejected but the campaign subsequently led to his victory over Metellus Scipio and Juba at Thapsus, after which Longus was killed by his own men for the money he was carrying[13] and the town went over to Caesar.[14]